Another climber, identified as a Malaysian man, has been reported missing on Mount Everest.
The missing climber was a member of the Malaysian Everest 2023 (ME2023) expedition, which received support from the Malaysian government. The individual, named Muhammad Hawari Hashim and aged 33, was part of a team that successfully reached Camp 3, situated 7,500 meters above sea level, as mentioned in a post on the ME2023 Facebook account.
On the following day, the team reached Camp 4 at 7,925 meters, with the intention of summiting on May 18. Mr. Hawari successfully fulfilled his lifelong dream of scaling Mount Everest on that day, an accomplishment captured in a photo shared on Facebook.
However, tragedy struck on May 19. Awang Askandar Ampuan Yaacub, a 56-year-old team member and Director of the Malaysian Civil Defence Force Kedah, lost his life due to a fall while climbing the mountain, as reported by Bernama and confirmed by ME2023.
Coincidentally, on the same day, Mr. Hawari, who is reportedly hearing-impaired, went missing. It is believed that he disappeared while en route to Camp 3 after reaching the summit. Expedition leader Azim Afif Ishak mentioned that the last contact with Mr. Hawari was made when he was at Camp 4. Notably, Mr. Hawari was among the first group to successfully reach the summit, together with the deceased climber, Lt-Col Awang.
Currently, a search-and-rescue operation is underway, led by Vincent Tiong, a teammate of Mr. Hawari. Aerial checks conducted on May 21 did not yield any human remains or unusual trails. However, the missing climber’s jacket was discovered at Camp 2, and efforts have been made to trace his iPhone with the assistance of the Nepal Police.
Trained personnel are conducting search operations in a crevasse area above Camp 2. The family of Mr. Hawari has appealed for prayers, expressing their anguish and concern. In an emotional Facebook post on May 20, Mr. Hawari’s mother shared her longing for her son’s safety and requested everyone to pray for him. His sister also took to Facebook, urging people to pray for her brother’s safe return.
Mr. Hawari is married and has two young children, as reported by The Star. Regrettably, he was not able to celebrate his wife’s birthday on May 5 due to his expedition. However, he shared a video from Nepal, where he used sign language to express a message to his wife.
According to his mother, Mr. Hawari had nurtured the ambition to conquer Mount Everest since his primary school days. Despite his hearing impairment, she described him as an enthusiastic, confident, and active individual who participated in various sports and competitions during his school years.
The news of Mr. Hawari’s disappearance has even reached the King and Queen of Malaysia. The royal couple posted on Facebook, offering their prayers for his swift rescue. They also extended their condolences for the death of Lt-Col Awang, whose remains are being prepared for repatriation to Malaysia.